Quick reference: internet fixes by provider
The troubleshooter above walks you through everything step by step — these are the same answers in plain text, for quick reading (and for anyone who found this page from a search).
How to restart your internet the right way (any provider)
- Unplug only the power cords on your router and modem. Coax, ethernet, fiber, and phone cables stay put.
- Wait 30 seconds.
- Plug the modem (or fiber box) in first. Wait until its lights are steady — up to 2–3 minutes.
- Then plug in the WiFi router and wait for its light to go steady.
- Turn your phone’s WiFi off and on, then load a website to test.
Powering the router before the modem is the #1 reason a restart doesn’t fix it.
Spectrum: which box is which & what the lights mean
Modem: slim black tower, coax cable screwed into the back, 2 lights up top (3 with Spectrum Voice). Router: taller black rounded tower, no antennas, one light near the bottom.
- Blinking white — starting up
- Blinking blue — connecting to Spectrum
- Blue & white alternating — updating firmware, do NOT unplug
- Solid blue — online
- Red on the router — no connection
Spectrum outage & support: (833) 267-6094
Ripple Fiber: Nokia fiber box (ONT) & Nokia router lights
Fiber box (ONT): small white Nokia box on the wall — POWER and PON should be solid green. Router: white rounded Nokia tower with one light near the bottom.
- PON blinking green — linking up with the network
- POWER + PON solid green — fiber line is good
- LOS red — fiber-line problem; a restart won’t fix it, call Ripple
Never unplug or bend the thin fiber cable — it’s glass inside. Only ever touch the power cord.
CenturyLink: DSL vs fiber & ring-light colors
DSL: one combo box with a thin phone line from the wall jack. Fiber: a small fiber box (ONT) on the wall plus a black tower router (C4000XG) with a glowing ring.
- Blinking blue — starting up
- Blinking green — connecting to CenturyLink
- Steady green ring — online (older C3000Z: POWER, DSL, INTERNET solid green)
- Red — no connection
CenturyLink support: (800) 244-1111
Still not working? Local help on the Outer Banks
If a proper restart didn’t fix it and your provider reports no outage, the problem is usually equipment, wiring, or WiFi coverage — exactly what OBX Tech Guy fixes. We come to you anywhere on the Outer Banks: Carova, Corolla, Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head, Manteo, Hatteras, and Ocracoke.
Call (252) 686-1451 or email info@obxtec.com — WiFi installation & optimization, new equipment setup, dead-zone fixes, Starlink installation, smart home, and more.